Internal-combustion engine



July 30, 1929. L. E. VAN HISE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 15, 1924 3 sheets-sheet 5 wflm 7 .W w m r E 1 w. A Y B ly 1929- E. VAN HISE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed-Sept. 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 P a N W m w% r A E v w V! a July 30, 1929. E. VAN HISE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE F'iied Sept. 13, '1924 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER E. VAN RISE, OF 1408 GELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR '10 JAMES V. BALDWIN LOS ANGELES, CALE'OBHIA.

m'rnnnnn-comnus'rrozu ENGINE.

Application filed September 13, 1924. Serial No. 737,482.

mechanism thereof involving the use of thermal pumps and auxiliary tanks of the type disclosed in United States .Patent No.

1,492,147 granted April 29, 1924.

The main object of the invention disclosed in this application is to improve the structure of the auxiliary storage tank with a view to improving the operation of the feed mechanism as a whole.

.With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association of parts, members and features all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the general arrangement of the several parts of my invention as used in conjunction with the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle to feed fuel from the storage tank to the engine.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section showing the internal operating mechanism of the auxiliary tank and pump as operatively connected to a main stora e tank and the carburetor of an internal com ustion engine.

Figure 3 is a plan of a diskvalve used'in this invention. I

Figure 4 is an elevation of a needle valve controlling the flow of fuel through the aux iliary tan Figures 5, 6, and 9 are detailed sectional elevations showing various modifications of our invention in which different types of auxiliary tanks are shown in various positions with reference to the pump mechanisms.

Figures 7 and 8 show in plan and elevation, respectively, a lift valve employed in the auxiliary tank illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 10 is a view, mainly in section, showing the details of a modified form of my auxiliary tank.

Flgure 11 is a longitudinal section of the float employed in the tank illustrated in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a bottom plan view of said float.

Referring generally to the drawing, A designates a motor vehicle provided with the usual internal combustion engine 1, carburetor 2, and exhaust duct 3, and fuel supply tank 4. My invention as applied thereto, comprises an auxiliary tank 5 connected to said supply tank 4 by means of a supply pipe line 6, a pump 7 of the general type disclosed in said patent interposed in said pipe line 6 between the tanks 4 and 5, and a supply pipe line 8 leading from the auxiliary tank 5 to the carburetor.

Referring particularly to Figures 2, 3, and 4, the pump is shown as comprising an outer cylindrical member 9 having a closed end 10 projecting partly into the exhaust duct 3 to be heated by the exhaust gases passing therethrough. Fixed to the bottom 10 of the mem-i her 9 and spaced from the inside thereof is a second cylindrical member 11 having its free end 12 closed to provide a vapor trap, and having openings 13 near its fixed end to provide for the admission of fuel thereinto.

The upper part of member 9 supports the auxiliary tank 5 and has a part 13' thereof projecting into said tank 5. A support 14, secured in part 13 has a valve seat 15, formed therein to receivea valve disk 16. A closure 17 for the end of part 13 is arranged therein to provide a space 18 in which disk 16 may movewhen unseated, the disk 16 being provided with recesses 19 to permit the how of fuel past the disk when unseated through an opening 20 in closure 17. The closure 17 has a coil pipe 21 seated in the opening 20 and into the auxiliary tank 5.

The upper part of the auxiliary tank is provided with an air vent 22, and the lower part thereof has a fuel inlet. 23 communicating with the supply pipe 6 and the upper part 13 of the pump member 9. Communicating with inlet 23 is an opening 24 controlled by a needle valve 25 having a head 26 and a stem 28. This stem 28 passes through an opening 29 formed in an arm 30, pivoted as at 31 to the bottom of tank 5. The arm 30 carries at its free end a float 32 adapted to raise arm 30 as the fuel rises in tank 5, and through its engagement with head 26, to raise and unseat the valve 25.

A check valve 33 similar to valve 16 is arranged in the pipe line 6 to prevent flow'of fuel from the pump to the auxiliary tank back to the fuel supply tank 44. It is to be noted that the auxiliary tank is arranged above the carburetor to feed the latter by gravity.

The operation of the device as described so far is as follows :-Assuming the tank 5 has sufiicient fuel therein, say up to the line B as shown in Fig. 2, to feed the engine for .a short time, and that the pump is also properly primed; when the engine is started it is arranged draws fuel from the tank 5 through the care buretor and the hot exhaust gases passing through the duct 3, heat the pump and in a short time cause it to suck fuel from the supply tank 4 past the valve 33 and force it past valve 15 into the auxiliary tank 5. The stem 27 of the valve is of such lengththat the valve is not lifted from its seat until the fuel reaches the upper level indicated by the line C. When this level is reached and exceededthe valve 25 is lifted and the pump draws fuel from the tank 5 until thelevel of fuel therein is lowered sufliciently to close the valve. The reason for the pumps taking its supply from the auxiliary tank 5 when the valve 25 is o Jen is that the auxiliary tank 5 i her than the supply tank 4 and the pump eing capable of drawing in s only a limited supply of fuel at one operation cycle naturally draws it from the source of supply offering the least resistance. When the engine stops, the residual heat acting on the pump causes the latter to continue its pumping action for some time, thus raising the level of the fuel in the tank 5 until it exceeds the upper level C, if it were not already above such level. When this levelis exceeded the valve 25 is lifted and the fuel is just circulated through the pump and tank passages'until the pump cools and circulation ceases, thus leaving the apparatus primed for the next starting operation.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, the

supply pipe 34 for the auxiliary tank 5 coils around somewhat vertically in said tank and has its outlet 35 connected to the valve member 36 provided with a valve seat The valve used in this modification and in that shown in Figure 6 has a disk portion 38, a stem 39, and a head 40, the stem passing freer ly through an opening in a float arm 41 fulformer being similar to that shown in Figure 3, while the latter is similar to that shown in Figures 7 and 8. The operation of this modification is identical with that shown in Figure 5, the float arm 45 actuating the valve member 38 in a similar manner.

In the modification shown in Figure 9, the

tank member 5 is connected by a fitting 46 to the main supply line 6 and has a valve 47 artop thereof, and a pipe 49 connects the top 17 of the pump with the top of the auxiliary tank- 5. The float 50 is secured by a stem 51, which is limited to vertical movements in the tank by reason of its sliding engagement with a guide 52 secured to the top of the tank, and a guide 53 secured to the bottom thereof. The guide 53 has two valve seats formed therein one seat 54 cooperating with the valve disk 47 and the other seat 55 being shaped to correspond with and to receive the end 56 of the stem 5-1 which is pointed to serve as a needle valve. In this modification, the pump'acts in the usual-manner to feed fuel to the auxiliary tank 5, while the disk valve 47 serves to prevent fuel being drawn or forced directly from the supply tank 4 into the auxiliary tank 5. When the fuel in the auxiliary tank rises high enough to unseat the valve 56, the pump draws its fuel directly from the auxiliary tank and continues to do so until the level is lowered enough to seat the valve. When the engine is stopped after running for some time the residual heat causes continued operation of the pump, with, a corresponding circulation of fuel between the pump and the auxiliary tank until the pumps cools sufficiently to cease functioning. When the pump stops, circulation of the fuel also ceases, and the fuel eventually reaches a level somewhat intermediate the lines B and C, leaving the apparatus primed for the next starting operation. In the modification shown in Figs. 10, 11,

and 12. a fitting 57 somewhat similar to the' fitting 46 of Fig. 9. is interposed in the supply line between themain'tank and the pump, and

a pipe 58 leads from the pump to the top of the tank 5. In this modification, a disk valve 59 is normally held to its seat 60 by a spring 61 to close a passage 62'leading from the supply pipe 6 into the tank 5. A tube 63 depends from the fitting 57 into tank 5 and serves to guide a push rod 64 secured to spider 65 formed on the lower end of a float 66, which has also a sleeve member 67 formed thereon and adapted to slide on tube 63 to serve as an additional guiding means for the float.

The operation of this modification is identical with that of the device shown in Fig. 9, the rise of the float lifting the valve 59 from its seat to establish a feeding communication between the auxiliary tank and the pump when an excess of fuel is pumpedinto said auxiliary tank. i

From the foregoing description, it is clear that the main object of this invention is to regulate the fuel pumpng operations to maintain the level of fuel in the auxiliary tank within predetermined limits, so as to leave the apparatus primed for all starting operations after the first, and to prevent the return of fuel to the main tank.

Having thus described my invention, what 10 from said gasses I claim and desire to secure t3 Letters Pet ent of the United States is 1. The combination with an internal cembustion en 'ne end a, source of fuelsupply s therefor, o a pump mounted on said engine to be 0 erated by the heat thereof, a tank m'ounteg on said pump, means for conducting fuel from said-source to said pump through said tank, and means for conducting fuel pump through seifl tank to said engme- '2. The combuiation with an internal combustion engine end e source of fuel supply therefor, of e eendiuit connecting said sourw to said enne end inelng a 1m connected to It enne to be operated Ey the heat thereof endl e reservoir mounte& on and couniceting with said ump, and check valves to limit the flow e fuel frem said source to seidi engine through seidpump d reslerveir to movement toward send engine on y.

In testimony "whereof I have signed my name t0 this speeifieetien.

LESTER e. VAN HISEU 

